CalWORKs EBT card still active after mom passed away - reported death but CalFresh benefits loaded

the same thing happend to me when my aunt passed. they loaded her card for like 2 monthes after!!! i just cut the card up and didnt use it. when i brought in death certificate they didnt say nothing about paying anything back it was there mistake not yours

I'm so sorry for your loss. You're doing the right thing by being proactive about this situation. When someone on benefits passes away, you should: 1. Report the death (which you already did - good job) 2. Provide the death certificate to the county office (bring original + copy) 3. Return the EBT card when you bring in the certificate The benefits were likely loaded automatically because the case hadn't been officially closed yet. This happens frequently in the system. Since you reported it promptly and haven't used the benefits, you shouldn't face any penalties. The EBT card should be surrendered when you bring in the documentation.

I went through this with my grandma last year. The county worker told me its actually FRAUD if benefits get used after someone dies even if the county loads them by mistake!! Make sure you don't touch that money and definitely don't throw away the card without turning it in. I had to sign a form saying I wouldn't use the benefits when I brought in her death certificate.

You did the right thing by reporting it right away. What's happening is that CalFresh benefits are often pre-authorized before their actual issuance date, so even though you reported the death, the month's benefits had already been queued up in the system. Here's what you should do: 1. Bring the death certificate to your county office along with the EBT card 2. Ask for a receipt showing you returned the card 3. Request written confirmation that you properly reported the death You won't be asked to repay benefits that were incorrectly issued after you reported the death. The system can take time to process changes, but since you have proof that you reported it promptly, you're protected. By the way, I'm sorry about your mom. Don't worry too much about this - it's a common administrative issue.

Trying to get through to the CalWORKs office on the phone is nearly impossible these days. I tried calling about my own case for three days straight and kept getting disconnected. Finally used Claimyr.com to get through - they hold your place in line and call you back when a real person is available. I watched their demo video (https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE) and it worked exactly like they said. Saved me hours of frustration. You might want to try that to get this sorted out faster instead of waiting for an in-person appointment.

Yo just an FYI you might be eligible for the $255 death benefit from Social Security to help with funeral costs if your mom was getting SSI too. My cousin had to deal with all this last yr when her mom passed. Also check if there was any cash aid left on the EBT too cuz thats different from the food benefits.

the county takes FOREVER to process anything i swear. my address change took like 3 months to update in there system even tho i reported it right away. dont stress urself out about this, u did everything right

my condolences on ur loss 😢 when my father passed it took a lot of paperwork to get everything sorted with all his benefits. bring multiple copies of the death certificate because different departments might need their own copy

Just a follow-up thought - make sure you're keeping detailed notes of who you talk to (names, ID numbers if they provide them), dates, and what was discussed. This creates a paper trail showing your good-faith efforts to resolve the situation properly, which protects you in case there are any questions later. Most county workers are understanding about these situations, especially when you're being proactive and honest.

I'm so sorry for your loss. Going through this kind of administrative confusion while grieving is the last thing you need. I went through something similar when my dad passed - the system just doesn't move fast enough sometimes. One thing that helped me was calling the EBT customer service line (1-877-328-9677) to check the exact balance and transaction history on the card. They can also put a note on the account that the cardholder is deceased while you're waiting to get to the county office. It's not a substitute for the official process, but it creates another record that you're handling this properly. You're absolutely doing everything right by not using the benefits and being proactive about reporting everything. The county deals with this situation regularly, so don't worry about them thinking you're trying to scam anyone. Your honesty and quick reporting will be clear from their records.

I'm so sorry for your loss. This is such a difficult time and you're handling everything exactly right. I work in benefits administration and can tell you this happens more often than you'd think. The automated benefit loading system runs on a schedule that doesn't always sync up immediately with case changes, even when death is reported promptly like you did. Since you reported the death the day after and haven't used any benefits, you're completely in the clear. When you bring in the death certificate, they'll close the case retroactively to the date of death. Any benefits loaded after that date will just be removed from the system - no repayment required from you. Make sure to bring the EBT card with you when you go in, and don't feel bad about this situation. The county workers see this regularly and know it's a system timing issue, not anything you did wrong. You've been incredibly responsible throughout this whole process.

I'm so sorry for your loss. You're handling this situation exactly right by being proactive and not using the benefits. This is actually a really common issue - the EBT system loads benefits automatically based on pre-set schedules, so even when deaths are reported promptly, there can be a lag before the case is officially closed in the system. When you go to the county office with the death certificate, bring the EBT card with you and explain the situation. They'll likely ask you to surrender the card and will close the case retroactively to your mom's date of death. Since you reported it immediately and haven't used any of the incorrectly loaded benefits, you won't be responsible for paying anything back. I'd also suggest asking for a receipt or written confirmation that you returned the card and provided the death certificate, just for your own records. The county workers deal with this scenario regularly and will understand it's a system timing issue, not any wrongdoing on your part. You're being incredibly responsible during what must be such a difficult time.

I'm so sorry for your loss. Having to deal with bureaucratic issues while grieving is incredibly difficult. You're handling this situation perfectly - reporting the death immediately and not using the benefits shows you're doing everything right. This exact thing happened to my neighbor when her husband passed. The EBT benefits kept loading for about 6 weeks after she reported his death because the automated system takes time to catch up with case changes. When she finally got to the county office with the death certificate, they just closed the case retroactively and she didn't owe anything back. The most important things are: 1) You already reported the death (check!), 2) You're not using the benefits (check!), and 3) You're bringing the death certificate and EBT card to the office ASAP. The county workers understand this is a common system lag issue. Don't stress about it - you're being completely honest and responsible during an already overwhelming time.

I'm so sorry for your loss. You're absolutely doing everything right by reporting her death immediately and not touching those benefits. This is actually a really common situation - the EBT system runs on automated schedules that don't always sync up right away when cases change. When my grandmother passed, the same thing happened. Her food stamps loaded for almost two months after I reported her death because the system had already queued up the benefits before the case was officially closed. The county worker explained that as long as you report the death promptly (which you did) and don't use the benefits (which you haven't), you won't face any penalties or have to pay anything back. Just bring the death certificate and EBT card to the county office together. They'll close the case retroactively to her date of death and remove any benefits that were loaded afterward. Make sure to get a receipt showing you turned in the card - it's good to have that documentation. The workers see this situation all the time and understand it's just how the system works, not anything you did wrong.

I'm so sorry for your loss, and I want to echo what everyone else has said - you're handling this perfectly. The fact that you reported her death the very next day shows you're being completely honest and responsible. I went through this exact situation when my stepfather passed two years ago. His CalFresh benefits loaded for about a month after I reported his death, and I was terrified I'd somehow get in trouble even though I never touched the money. When I finally got to the county office with his death certificate, the caseworker was super understanding and said it happens constantly because their computer systems don't update in real time. They closed his case retroactively to his date of death, took back the EBT card, and that was it - no paperwork about repayment, no investigation, nothing. The whole appointment took maybe 15 minutes. You're doing everything right by not using the benefits and getting the documentation together. The county workers really do see this all the time and know it's just a system delay, not fraud. Hang in there - this will get sorted out quickly once you bring in that death certificate.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Jean Claude. What you're going through is incredibly difficult, and dealing with bureaucratic issues on top of grief is just overwhelming. I wanted to add that if you need to check the card balance before going to the county office, you can call the EBT customer service line at 1-877-328-9677 or check online at ebt.ca.gov. This way you'll know exactly what benefits were loaded and can provide that information when you meet with the caseworker. Also, when you do go to the county office, consider asking if they can give you a case closure letter or some kind of official documentation showing the case was closed due to death. This can be helpful if you need it for other agencies or services that might still have your mom in their system. You've handled everything exactly right - reporting immediately and not touching the benefits shows your integrity during an already heartbreaking time. The county workers will see that in your case notes and appreciate your honesty.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Jean Claude. Losing a parent is incredibly difficult, and having to navigate these administrative issues while grieving just adds unnecessary stress. You've done everything exactly right - reporting her death immediately and not using any of the benefits shows complete integrity on your part. This situation with benefits loading after death reporting is unfortunately very common. The EBT system operates on automated schedules that can take weeks to sync up with case changes, even when deaths are reported promptly like you did. When you go to the county office with the death certificate, make sure to bring the EBT card with you. They'll close the case retroactively to her date of death and remove any benefits that were incorrectly loaded afterward. Since you reported everything properly and haven't used the benefits, you won't owe anything back - this is clearly a system timing issue, not any wrongdoing. I'd recommend asking for written documentation when you turn in the card and death certificate, just for your records. The county workers handle this scenario regularly and will understand completely. Don't worry about them thinking anything suspicious - your case notes will show you reported the death the day after it happened, which demonstrates your honesty throughout this process. Take care of yourself during this difficult time. You're handling everything responsibly.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Jean Claude. What you're experiencing is heartbreaking, and having to deal with these administrative complications while grieving just makes everything so much harder. You've absolutely handled this situation perfectly - reporting her death the very next day shows incredible responsibility during such a difficult time. The fact that benefits loaded afterward is completely out of your control and happens frequently due to how the automated systems work. I went through something very similar when my father-in-law passed last year. His EBT benefits kept loading for about 5 weeks after we reported his death, and I was so worried we'd done something wrong. When we finally got to the county office with his death certificate, the caseworker barely blinked - she said it's one of the most common issues they see because the benefit loading system runs on schedules that don't immediately sync with case changes. Just bring the death certificate and EBT card together when you go in. They'll close everything retroactively to her date of death, and you won't owe anything back since you reported promptly and haven't used the benefits. Make sure to get a receipt showing you returned the card - it's good documentation for your records. The county workers truly see this all the time and understand it's just a system delay, not anything you did wrong. You're being incredibly thoughtful and honest during an already overwhelming time. Take care of yourself.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Jean Claude. You're handling an incredibly difficult situation with such care and responsibility. Reading through all these responses, it's clear that what you're experiencing is unfortunately very common due to how the automated benefit systems work. As someone new to this community, I wanted to add that you might also want to ask the county office if they can provide you with a timeline for when the case will be fully processed in their system. Sometimes knowing approximately how long these administrative changes take can help reduce anxiety during an already stressful time. You've done everything right by reporting immediately and not touching the benefits. The fact that so many people here have shared similar experiences shows this really is just a system timing issue. Don't let this add unnecessary worry to everything else you're dealing with right now. The county workers will take care of everything once you bring in that death certificate and EBT card. Take care of yourself during this difficult time. You're being incredibly thoughtful about doing the right thing when you have so much else on your mind.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Jean Claude. What you're going through is incredibly difficult, and you're handling everything exactly right. This situation is unfortunately very common - I've seen it happen multiple times in our family. When my uncle passed, his CalFresh benefits kept loading for over a month after we reported his death. The EBT system runs on automated schedules that don't immediately sync with case changes, even when deaths are reported promptly like you did. The key things you've already done perfectly: reported the death immediately and haven't touched the benefits. When you go to the county office with the death certificate, bring the EBT card with you. They'll close the case retroactively to your mom's date of death and you won't owe anything back since this is clearly a system timing issue, not any wrongdoing on your part. I'd suggest asking for a receipt when you turn in the card and getting written confirmation that you properly reported everything. The county workers see this scenario all the time and understand it's just how the system works. Don't stress about this on top of everything else you're dealing with. You're being incredibly responsible during an already overwhelming time.